Up and Down times....

All I seem to have been doing lately is getting in the car and travelling.  We have made the trip to London a number of times (nothing exciting - hospital visits)   We just seem to get over one journey then it's time to do it again. We also had offered to take our granddaughter to Heathrow as she was travelling to America joining one of the 'Camp America' groups for the summer, so that was another trip down the M1 and the dreaded M25. Actually we have been lucky with the traffic, so that's a bonus.  Mr. D and I had a trip to Cumbria, up there one day then back the next.  We had lovely weather while we were up there, walked along the prom at Grange over Sands, something we never did while we lived there, and I believe there was torrential rain and storms in the South - so once again we have to count ourselves as the lucky ones.

The weather this summer has been atrocious, but one flower in the garden seems to have benefited. With so much rain I have been picking the blooms and having the benifit of these beauties in the house

Beauties aren't they 

I can't say I have been in the best of spirits and there comes a time when you just need to get out and do something a bit different.  I used to do most of the gardening, but these days it's been handed over to Mr. D, still I needed to do some heavy digging.   I don't really enjoy weeding, but give me a patch of ground, a garden fork, and I am a happy bunny.

Clay soil, and full of clay....heavy work!

down and dirty! 

but not sure if its going to get finished today - look at the sky!

shirt off, must be warm!

There has been a bit of crafting going on, albeit only knitting.  I finished my first shawl in The Shawl Society over at Ravelry  and a finish to the scarf that I started after a trip to Purlwise, the yarn shop at Kimbolton, (I'm not sure if the pattern has a name),   It seemed if you bought the yarn you could have the pattern as a freebie Yeah!

Nice easy knit 

I also tried to make some sort of keeper for my double pointed needles, and my interchangeable needles.  It took me ages to start this project and I have to say it didn't have my full attention but I did get it finished.  Problem was, the first time I took it for a road trip the needles fell out......back to the drawing board!!

Looks good, but not practical

T-hen a friend showed me a neat keeper for double pointed needles, so I thought I would have a go

RESULT ...... for the double pointed needles, and I think it will work for the interchangeable

I expect the next time I see you it will be to show you this months Mini Mania Challenge.....goodness where does the time go????

Happy playing